Slayton tested extremely well at the 2018 NFL Combine, posting good size (61 and 190 pounds), explosiveness (vertical and broad jump), and speed (4.39 second 40 yard dash). "Aaron Rodgers . Cooper and McLaurin must receive extra praise for overcoming below average QB play, the Cowboys and Football Team's QB play has been down right terrible this year. Up today: Receivers 1. Sterling Shepard, the Giants 2016 second-round pick, has probably not yet lived up to the high expectations that surrounded him when he was drafted, but he went for 872 yards and 4 TDs in 2018. Slayton still just runs past them and gets several yards of separation, doing a great job looking back and tracking the ball in the air to get a long reception for a TD. Were ranking the division by position group. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . He has surprising physicality for his size, often fighting through contact on a contested catch to get extra yards. McLaurin does a good job turning around and locating the ball in the air, but the ball is again underthrown, so he has to slow down, allowing the CB and an assisting safety to catch up. Instead, they show the attributes listed below. At 63, 216 lbs, and running a 4.48s 40 yard dash, he checked a lot of the boxes for a WR1 in the NFL. He suffered a 2nd torn ACL in 2014, and, in the 5 years he has been in the NFL, he has only played 16 games once (2017, his contract year with Seattle). Perhaps most problematic, he is more of a body catcher than a hands catcher. Jeffery plays with more speed than JJ, but JJ plays with more strength and has less of an injury history. NFL Wide Receivers 2021 : For a division that is considered one of the weakest in the history of the NFL, the NFC East boasts one of the best receiving groups in the whole league. That top three of Cooper, Gallup and Lamb might be the best trio in the NFL. This play shows again that McLaurin has more ways to win than just speed, and even against the best of CBs, he found a way to get open through physicality, smart positioning, and excellent route running and timing. In the end, if a wide receiver has everything else you want at the position but cant consistently bring the ball in and gain yardage, he isnt much good to his team. Commanders Reacts Survey: Do you want to see the Washington Commanders on Hard Knocks in 2023. Darius Slayton was not only an All-Region receiver out of high school, but also a state sprint champion in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Cooper can play every WR position: X, Z, and slot, and the Cowboys use him all over the field to exploit matchups and get him paired with slower DBs. When I reviewed McLaurins college tape for this ranking last year, I noted that he was a tremendous athlete, good route runner, and a willing and physical blocker. Last month, the former LSU star surpassed another legendary Vikings receiver -- none other than Hall of Famer Randy Moss -- for the most receiving yards in a player's first three seasons, and he has only added to that total over the last couple weeks. He doesnt do it often enough to be a big issue, but maybe because his cuts are so sharp, he seems to trip himself up and miss out on extra yards now and again. As we enter 2019, the Eagles may feature the most recognizable names with fans across the NFL with 32-year-old Desean Jackson, coming back for a second run in Philly, Alshon Jeffrey, who first built his reputation in Chicago, and Nelson Aghlor, who experienced a breakout season a year ago being joined by 2nd round pick J.J. Arcega-Whiteside. Here, well take a look at the top of the depth chart for each team the pool of players from which the ones on the final 53 seem likely to be chosen. The Cowboys 2018 season turned around completely when they traded for Amari Cooper, who, playing in his 5th year option season in 2019, is in a contract year and looking to get paid going forward. This play really shows off Slaytons physical traits; hes got speed, acceleration, and quick change-of-direction ability for days. Who tops the list? He ranked top three in both receiving grade (91.7) and yards per route run (3.64) versus such looks. They also arguably have the best starting group of anyone in the NFL. Everyone can ignore this (and more to follow). ApplePodcasts|Google Play|Spotify|Stitcher|Art19|Watch on YouTube. Tate only has good speed, but has elite quickness, and plays like this highlight his ability to get separation quickly when in tight coverage if the DB doesnt maintain constant eyes and leverage on Tate. Note that Reagor got injured earlier in this game and looked to be in a lot of pain, but came back and played through it very effectively (as shown here). Not only did he gain an impressive number of yards after catch with his explosiveness and quick cuts, but this play seems designed around getting the ball to Reagor, whom the coaches clearly see as their teams number 1 weapon. The Cowboys receivers may have the most talent and productivity potential of any group in the NFC East, but, with the Cowboys run-centered offense, and Dak Prescotts limited pass production (he averages 3,625 yards and 25 TDs per season in his career), this group is unlikely to put up truly big numbers in 2019. This play shows Tates nuanced route running, elite change-of-direction ability, elite quickness, and ability to shake tackles to get YAC. The second-year wideout has been the Lions focal point in high-leverage situations, gaining a first down on 15.2 percent of his routes on third and fourth down this season (third-highest rate, min. [7:50] Cooper again lines up top of screen opposite Mike Hughes. Cowboys: Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb, Cedric Wilson, Simi Fehoko That top three of Cooper, Gallup and Lamb might be the best trio in the NFL. One minor difference in his game from last year is that I think Cooper has visibly improved in run blocking. McLaurin is an ideal Z receiver, though not quite big enough to play X and not able to consistently beat the best CBs in the NFL. -- Mike Band, Keegan Abdoo and Cole Jacobson contributed to this piece. He looks, to me, a lot like a poor mans Julio Jones. The one guy you dont have to worry about is Ward. Be the first one to comment on this story. At the quarter mark of the 2022 NFL season, the Next Gen Stats analytics team ranks the top 10 defensive lines. A touch under $40 million was fully guaranteed at signing, with another $17.221 million becoming guaranteed at the start of the 2023 league year. Where does Jets rookie Sauce Gardner land? He also doesnt use deception and fakes as aggressively as he could in his routes, possibly because he is accustomed to simply running past opponents. Hogs Haven looks at all four teams in the division in an effort to identify the best and the weakest of the NFC East. But the ball is perfectly placed where only JJ can get it, and he again reaches out and uses his long arms and sure hands to secure the ball beyond the reach of the CB for a tough TD catch. After the top three, Wilson flashed some big-play ability last year and Fehoko is a big-bodied rookie. Robinson is a superstar whose contributions have been overlooked. He committed to Auburn and was a big play threat throughout his college career, but didnt get to show much versatility in a simple offense with poor QB play for much of his college career. [1:05] Tate lines up in the slot on a crossing route, but sees the play break down as Wentz breaks the pocket and changes directions so quickly that CB Greg Stroman slips on the grass trying to cover him. When you pair those two together with Slayton, Shepard and another former first-rounder in Ross, all of a sudden, this is a great receiving corps. The NFC East was a historically bad division in 2020, which is why all four teams were in the race deep into the season. This play showcases McLaurins acceleration, route running, hands-catching ability, and top-end speed. Andrew is a self-taught film analyst with a pretty impressive resume. Justin Jefferson can lay claim to the title of being the best receiver in the NFL. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Dak breaks to his right (Coopers side) almost immediately after the snap despite little pressure and is looking for Cooper the whole time. Panthers saddled with another odd pick in latest NFL.com mock draft. Safeties play a critical role in today's NFL. Jeffery is just a bit less gifted in each of these areas than an elite player like Julio Jones, and isnt really elite in any area. McLaurin is a very willing blocker in the run game and has the physicality to do it well, though his technique (body positioning and angles) need work. Although not invited to the NFL combine, JJ had a good pro day, measuring 62 and 223 lbs, and running a 4.49s 40 yard dash. And Humphries comes over from Tennessee, where he was once a very productive player. Although he is a bit undersized for a boundary WR at 60 and 208 lbs, he has good agility (7.01s 3-cone), good quickness (4.15s 20 yard shuttle), and elite deep speed (4.35s 40 yd dash), as well as impressive strength (18 BP reps). His basketball roots are also evident on plays like this. Darby is a much better (and faster) CB than Douglas and runs with McLaurin down the sideline, but Terry turns back at just the right time, quickly locates the ball in the air, tracks it, and reaches out to make a very tough contested catch. Like Jefferson in Minnesota, Hill's presence forces defenses to become more predictable and one dimensional. Featured Promo: Get any full-season NFL Premium Pass for 50% off and win big in 2023. Hes a high effort blocker, but his technique and power are below average. Of course, no position group consists of just one or two players. 1 receiver out of the gate. Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports Flowers is another potential first-round option depending on how his combine week goes. Waddle has reached 20+ mph on four offensive touches this season, tied for the third-most among all wide receivers (behind Christian Watson and teammate Tyreek Hill). McLaurin runs to the DBs outside shoulder, knowing that this will give him outside leverage when he eventually breaks out on his route. Play man, get dusted. The only times I saw Cooper struggle were in press man coverage against fast and experienced DBs. Although big, long, and strong on tape, his 40 time was a surprise to many who saw him as lacking deep speed. Odds & lines subject to change. He had two years remaining on his $72 million contract. His lack of deep speed often shows up after that, as opposing CBs will close that distance fast. Im not sure the skill level is lower now than it was before, but the marquee power seems to have fallen off a bit. [2:13] McLaurin takes off deep again, almost immediately beating the CB, and the CB knows it. It's really impressive. Jalen Reagor became the focal point for TCUs offense in his freshman year (2017), leading the Horned Frogs in receptions (33) and receiving yards (576). The New Orleans Saints have . Overall, he is big, strong, has good hands, and is nuanced at many aspects of playing WR, but shows a lack of deep speed on film. New York Giants. Paul Richardson Jr was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2014 NFL draft. Tier 1: Elite 1. Zach Ertz was once the NFC East's undisputed best TE but injuries and the declining play of his quarterback has seen him fall off the radar the last two seasons. He will break down film from 6 NFC East wide receivers, in order: Amari Cooper was selected 4th overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 2015 draft. 3rd year tight end Dallas Goedert has emerged as the NFC East's best TE. Look how much cushion the CB opposite Reager (bottom of screen) gives him, clearly afraid of getting beat deep. Mclaurin takes off deep again, almost immediately beating the CB, and quick change-of-direction ability, the! The 2022 NFL season, the Next Gen Stats analytics team ranks the top of. 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